A typical remote starting system for a vehicle has a slave controller mounted in the vehicle and a hand held command module. When the user desires to remotely start the engine of the vehicle, he or she depresses a button on the command module that generates an RF signal. The slave controller pick-ups the RF signal and performs an engine starting sequence. The starting sequence includes energizing the starter motor to crank the engine and, once the engine has started, turning off the starter motor.
Currently available remote starting systems for a vehicle are usually designed to be installed in a wide range of vehicles. It follows that during the installation of the remote vehicle starting system in a particular vehicle, the slave controller must be properly configured to match the vehicle parameters, such as the type of engine (gasoline or diesel), the number of cylinders, the starter cut-off RPM limit and the idle speed, among others. This configuration is usually effected by setting the position of Dual In-line Package (DIP) switches on the housing of the slave controller. This approach is time consuming, which is undesirable.
Another drawback of currently available remote vehicle starting systems is the difficulty to perform repairs. The technician attempting to diagnose a malfunction has little information about the problem, in particular when it is an intermittent one. This renders the diagnostic operation time consuming, complex and may result in the replacement of good parts.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry to provide remote vehicle starting systems that are easier to configure for installation in particular vehicles and also facilitate diagnosis of malfunctions.